The Unwanted
by Nixa Jane
Summary: Tom gets caught up with a notorious band of thieves – led by a dangerous swindler and his old flame, Nea Clent – on the ship ‘Unwanted.’ *COMPLETED*
1. Nea's Gang

The Unwanted  
  
by Layton Colt  
  
Tom gets caught up with a notorious band of thieves - led by a dangerous swindler and his old flame - Nea Clent on the ship 'Unwanted.'  
  
Author's Notes: A.U. shortly after the episode, 'Displaced,' Voyager gets sent home by the Caretaker's mate. I don't write that part - actually, I cut it out because I didn't like it, so it starts with Voyager being home. The maquis rebellion has ended, and the Cardassians are honoring their side of the treaty to remain clear of the DMZ.  
  
Familiarity with 'Sleeping Beauty' is recommended. Ah, just kidding, though Tom's obsession with the 20th century does cause him to quote Disney, one of my original characters does too. I don't know why, it just seemed like something he would do. And because I wrote this after watching the movie with my little cousin.  
  
Part One: Nea's Gang  
  
Tom swung his duffle bag over his shoulder and lowered his head. He walked through the halls of Deep Space Nine and tried to make himself inconspicuous. He was looking for a transport to Mars, somewhere to get away.  
  
Voyager was home, but he didn't plan on going to Earth. Even if he was born there, it could never be home to him. So he decided to leave. He'd been told, like the rest of the maquis that he could stay and serve on Voyager, but now that he had a choice, he couldn't stay on that ship.  
  
It wasn't that he didn't want to. He did. But he knew everything would be different here. In the Delta Quadrant the crew had to accept him because he was all they had and they had needed to stick together. Now that they were home, though, he just couldn't remain.  
  
This would be Starfleet, not Starfleet as seen by Kathryn Janeway, and he couldn't handle that. He felt bad about leaving his friends without so much as a goodbye but he didn't delude himself into believing they'd actually miss him. He wouldn't let himself believe they might actually care.  
  
He was about to turn a corner when someone caught his attention - young woman in a blue cloak. She was mysterious but familiar. Her fingers barely peeked out from the sleeve of the thick blue cloth but they were adorned with rubies and gold.  
  
Intrigued he followed, he was sure he'd seen her somewhere before. He was about to call out to her, to see if he knew who she was when she slipped in- between two stores into an ally of sorts. Wondering what she could be doing, he decided he should investigate.  
  
With narrowed eyes he cautiously entered the ally. No one was there.  
  
He was about to turn around when someone grabbed him from behind and pushed him against the wall. It was a Bajoran, who looked to be in his mid thirties. He had a slightly goofy expression and Tom wasn't exactly infused with fear. As he looked behind the Bajoran holding him, he saw the woman in the cloak watching him.  
  
The only part of her face he could make out were her eyes.  
  
It was enough.  
  
He knew those black eyes - knew them well. The betazoid removed the hood and grinned at him. Nea Clent.  
  
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," she purred. "I set my trap for a peasant and lo' I catch a prince."  
  
"A maquis renegade who can quote 'Sleeping Beauty.' Now I've seen everything."  
  
Nea smiled, "It's been a long time, Tom. I heard Voyager had returned."  
  
Tom pulled out of the grip of the bajoran. "Yea," he said. "Last night we docked."  
  
"Where were you going? Until you began following me you seemed in quite a hurry."  
  
"I'm trying to hop a transport to Mars," Tom told her reluctantly. He had loved Nea once, but he didn't trust her. He never had.  
  
"Really?" Nea asked interestedly. "I thought you'd stay with Voyager. Why are you going to Mars?"  
  
"Personal."  
  
"You know, I have a ship now. I could take you to Mars," Nea offered casually.  
  
Tom smiled, "Thank you, no. The last time I got involved with you, I ended up in prison. See ya around, Nea," Tom said as he began to walk away.  
  
Nea snapped her fingers and the Bajoran took out a phaser. He aimed it at Tom and shot the young pilot before he had reached the end of the ally.  
  
Nea smiled and took out a tricorder, her fingers danced across the small device and the three were whisked away by a transporter.  
  
* * * *  
  
Tom woke up disoriented. For a moment he couldn't recall what had happened. There were four strange people hovering over him, and one that he knew all too well.  
  
He quickly sat up, "Nea, where have you brought me?"  
  
Nea smiled with pride, "Welcome to my ship, 'The Unwanted.'"  
  
"An appropriate name," Tom mumbled. Nea ignored him.  
  
"Allow me to introduce you to my gang. This is Jork," she said motioning to the goofy bajoran that had been with her earlier. "This is Kladie Drake,"  
  
A young girl smiled at him, "Call me Kladie."  
  
"This is Spera," Nea continued motioning to a Vulcan woman who merely nodded. "She keeps us all logical and this. this is Cole."  
  
A striking man around thirty stepped forward with a smile and a deadly charm.  
  
"Nice to meet you," he said holding out his hand.  
  
Tom shook hands with him using the hand with out a watch. He didn't trust guys like Cole. He should know not to - he was one of them.  
  
Handsome, charming, a smile to die for and always -always- hiding something. Striking up pointless conversations while plotting behind their eyes.  
  
"So, what's this about?" Tom asked.  
  
"How about you and I make a deal?" Nea asked.  
  
"I'd like to keep my soul, thank you," Tom responded seriously. All present spare Nea and Spera stifled a chuckle.  
  
"Where else have you got to go, Tom?" Nea asked. Her voice was tinged with anger. "You're just like us now, lost and alone. An unwanted."  
  
Tom sighed. She had a point but he had a feeling this group was headed for trouble and he didn't particularly feel like sticking around for the show.  
  
"You don't do well alone, Tom, stay with us."  
  
The idea was becoming more and more appealing. Life at the moment wasn't holding many prospects. Part of him was remembering that Nea was trouble.  
  
He'd been devastated and heartbroken the first time he had met her, and she had recruited him into the maquis. Seducing him into compliance - she had abandoned him in Chakotay's cell. Still inexperienced and use to the rigid structure of Starfeleet, he'd been left with a Captain who despised him and he'd been caught only three months later.  
  
But he wasn't inexperienced anymore, and he wasn't distraught and vulnerable from Caldik Prime. He could take care of himself now - most days, anyway.  
  
So he could leave or he could stay. It was his choice, not Nea's.  
  
"It doesn't have to be anything permanent," Nea purred. "If we get too much for you, you can always leave."  
  
Tom smiled. She was right. he could just stay here until he found somewhere else to go. "Alright, I'll stay on for a while, but I'm not making any deals."  
  
Like always, Nea had clouded his thinking. He'd forgotten how she had gotten him on her ship in the first place, and never thought for a moment she might not so easily let him go.  
  
* * * *  
  
B'Elanna angrily stormed out of her temporary quarters on Deep Space Nine. Voyager had already had its maintenance begun but it wouldn't be ready for three months.  
  
Three months. And she wasn't allowed to help with the refit. Take some time off they said - you deserve it, they said.  
  
What would she do for three months and who with? She hadn't seen Tom since they got back and Harry would be leaving for Earth in a few minutes.  
  
"Harry," she called, glad to see she hadn't missed him before he left.  
  
Harry turned around, and he looked like he'd lost his best friend. "Harry, what's wrong?" she demanded rather than asked.  
  
"Tom's gone," he said brokenly.  
  
"Gone?" B'Elanna echoed in disbelief. "Gone where?"  
  
Harry shrugged, "He just left, he didn't tell anyone where he was going. Janeway found his resignation this morning."  
  
"Why would he leave?" she asked, using anger to disguise her panic.  
  
Harry shrugged, "How should I know? I'm only his best friend."  
  
"I've got to find him, Harry? Will you help?"  
  
"Of course, what do you want me to do?" he asked quickly. He was worried about Tom as well.  
  
"Just ask around, someone has to know where he is."  
  
Harry nodded, "When I get to Earth, I'll ask around Starfleet headquarters, maybe I'll go to Sandrines."  
  
B'Elanna nodded, "I'll ask around here."  
  
"You think he's going to get himself into trouble," It was more of a statement than a question but B'Elanna responded anyway.  
  
"Tom has a habit of getting into bad situations. I just want to find him and make sure he's alright."  
  
Harry nodded, "We will."  
  
* * * *  
  
Tom lay back on the bed in his new quarters. Nea sat down next to him. "So," Tom began. "How did you and this gang get together?"  
  
Nea laughed, "Well, when the maquis broke up most went back to their homes and families. As you know, I never had either. Jork's home on Bajor was destroyed, his family killed. Kladie had joined the maquis to get away from her family,"  
  
A fond smile graced Nea's features. "Kladies a bright kid. She's a brilliant engineer, not exactly your average runaway. You wouldn't believe everything she can do with an old fashioned lock pick."  
  
"As for Spera, she wasn't wanted back at her home. Her parents had forbidden her from joining the maquis and she'd done it anyway. She's a typical Vulcan. She's my ammunitions officer and is an expert at explosives and weapons. We all had no place to go, so we stuck together."  
  
"What about Cole?" Tom asked, fascinated by this strange group despite himself.  
  
Nea laughed, "Oh he came in latter. He wasn't in the maquis. Cole Marshall is a top notch con artist."  
  
Tom smiled. He knew it.  
  
"I met him because he was supposed to sell me a ship. He conned me wonderfully. He ended up with my money and me a holographic ship."  
  
Tom laughed, imagining Nea's reaction when she'd learned she'd been had. "What did you do?"  
  
"Tracked him down. Since he never gave me the ship I paid for, I decided to steal his. We pulled it off flawlessly, too. Got the ship off Mars without a hitch. We only over looked one minor detail."  
  
"What?" Tom asked curious.  
  
"Cole had been asleep in his quarters all the time!" Nea laughed. "We were pretty shocked. I was just going to leave him somewhere but he talked me into letting him stay. That was when we named the ship 'Unwanted,' in honor of Cole."  
  
"What about Jork? What does he do?"  
  
"Jork is a clueless genius. He's too intelligent for his own good, it makes him inane."  
  
"This is quite a group you have here," Tom said with a grin.  
  
"Yes, but it's missing something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"A pilot."  
  
Tom grinned wider, "Temporary, remember?"  
  
"You love me," she stated.  
  
"Yes, I love you," he admitted, realizing it was pointless to lie to a betazoid.  
  
"Then join me."  
  
"It took me a long time to pull my life back together, Nea. I'm not going to just throw it all away."  
  
"Why keep this new life, Tom? What good is it doing you?" Nea demanded.  
  
"I mean it, Nea! I'm grateful for a place to stay, but whatever you're up to, keep me out of it or tell me now so I can leave."  
  
"You can't leave, Tom," Nea pleaded. "I need you help!"  
  
Tom laughed, "So that's what this is all about? You -need- me. I should have known." Tom grabbed his bag and hefted it over his shoulder. "Goodbye, Nea, thanks for the ride. It's not Mars but Earth will have to suffice."  
  
"You're not going anywhere," Nea said pulling a phaser from her waistband.  
  
Tom rolled his eyes, "I'll be leaving now."  
  
"I have the power to kill you."  
  
Tom turned around, "Yes, but you also have the heart that won't allow you to."  
  
"You're right," Nea said as she pulled the trigger. Tom fell unceremoniously to the floor. "That's why I keep my phaser on stun."  
  
* * * *  
  
"Nea Clent."  
  
B'Elanna froze when she heard the name. Three hours of asking questions and she'd finally caught a break. Someone who had seen Tom.  
  
Granted, it was the Ferengi but he seemed to be telling the truth. When she'd asked if he was alone, Quark had said 'no,' when she asked who he was with he said, 'Nea Clent.'  
  
She'd always clashed with Nea. They met in the maquis, she was constantly bringing in new recruits. Mostly men. Mostly young.  
  
One time, she'd brought Tom.  
  
He'd been all attitude, trying his best to cover a vulnerability B'Elanna hadn't missed.  
  
They'd been together, B'Elanna could tell. She couldn't explain it but it had ignited a jealousy in her that had made her rude to both Tom and Nea. One of them, though, had deserved her hostility.  
  
To think he'd gone off with the two bit swindler made her skin crawl. And it wasn't all jealously. Nea was dangerous. Tom could be in more trouble than even he could handle.  
  
She ran across Deep Space Nine, hoping to catch the next transport to Earth. If she was going to find Tom, she was going to need help.  
  
* * * *  
  
Tom woke up on the floor, his hands tightly bound together. He cursed and started at the ropes. Nea had gone too far.  
  
He wondered what she was planning that made her desperate enough to tie him up. He suspected he was supposed to be the pilot for her latest scheme. But he was more certain that ever that he wouldn't go along with it.  
  
Nea had her life and he had his. H e was tired of being nothing but an ex- con and a good pilot. He wanted to be more. If he let Nea drag him into this, he knew he'd be less.  
  
"You're up."  
  
Tom looked up to where Nea stood. "Untie me, Nea. You can't just force me to help you."  
  
"I can. I just wish I didn't have to. You'd fit in well here. Just another outcast."  
  
"I'm tired of being an outcast," Tom said angrily.  
  
"You always will be - out there. But you could belong here, Tom. You're the last piece of the puzzle. Believe it or not, the 'Unwanted' is the best of the best. A genius, an engineer, a planner, a tactical strategist, and me, a leader, all we need is a pilot."  
  
"Well, find another one."  
  
"You're the best. You don't belong out there, Tom," she said again.  
  
"I won't help you."  
  
"You'll change your mind," Nea said with certainty.  
  
"I won't."  
  
A smile played across Nea's lips. "We'll see."  
  
to be continued . . .  
  
There will be two more parts to this. Both are already written, though the ending needs to be changed.  
  
How fast I type them up depends on the response I get. It's not blackmail -- well, maybe a little bit. I just don't want to type the whole thing up and make my poor fingers suffer if no one wants to know what happens.  
  
If people don't care I can always focus on my Stargate stories and forget about Voyager. 


	2. The Flagship

The Unwanted by Layton Colt  
  
Note: This story is a slight crossover with Star Trek: The Next Generation -- a show I've seen all of two times. (I've done it, Teri! A crossover! Kind of . . .) It doesn't focus on the characters from that show, though, they were just necessary for what I had in mind.  
  
And Zappy, how could you say Stargate is a waste of time!! Stargate is my life -- pathetic as it is -- Though I still love Voyager as well, it was after all, my first obsession.  
  
Part Two: The Flagship  
  
B'Elanna looked up as Janeway entered with Chakotay. She had called them to join her, along with Harry to tell them what she had learned.  
  
Now they were meeting at Janeway's apartment to compare notes.  
  
"I've heard that Tom was seen on Deep Space Nine with Nea Clent," B'Elanna told them.  
  
"Nea Clent?" Chakotay echoed. "I just got some gossip on her."  
  
B'Elanna instantly perked up. "What?"  
  
"I heard she's the leader of some band of thieves. Apparently they've been striking places all over the federation. Pulling off major burglaries without a hitch."  
  
"What were they called?" Harry asked on a hunch.  
  
Chakotay thought for a moment, "The Unwanted?"  
  
"I was afraid of that. Rumors are flying everywhere that the Unwanted are plotting to steal the Enterprise."  
  
"The flagship!" B'Elanna exclaimed and Harry nodded.  
  
"I heard about that too," Janeway put in. "Starfleet claims that there is no truth to it and that the Unwanted don't even exist."  
  
"They exist," Chakotay assured her. "This has Nea's name written all over it."  
  
"But where does Tom fit in?" B'Elanna asked.  
  
"Maybe he saw something he shouldn't have and Clent abducted him," Janeway said.  
  
None of them said their fears out loud. That Nea hadn't abducted him but Tom had gone willingly. Giving up his friendships and second chance to become a criminal once more.  
  
If that were the case - there was anything they'd be able to do to save him.  
  
* * * *  
  
After almost a half hour of struggling with the rope around his wrists, Tom was finally able to get free.  
  
He headed to the Jeffries tube and quickly climbed in. He was planning to search for a shuttle bay or maybe a phaser. Anything to give him the upper hand. He stopped, however, when he heard voices -a little eavesdropping never hurt-  
  
"What are we going to do without a pilot?" Kladie asked.  
  
"We have a pilot!" Nea snapped.  
  
"A pilot who is refusing to cooperate," Cole said exasperated.  
  
"I agree with Cole," Spera said calmly. "There is no mission without your Tom Paris. I suggest you ensure his cooperation or stop wasting our time."  
  
Tom smiled, as he crouched in the same tunnel. He liked Spera. She was much more fun than Tuvok.  
  
"I will get his cooperation," Nea said matter-of-factly.  
  
The hell you will, Paris thought angrily.  
  
"You've got him tied up and looked in quarters!" the cynical Cole cried.  
  
"I think this whole thing is crazy," Jork remarked. "Do you realize how small the chances are that we will be able to successfully take over the Enterprise? Even with your pilot?"  
  
"The Enterprise?" Tom murmured.  
  
"We'll do it," Nea said determinedly. "We're the best of the best -- we will not fail. And Tom will pilot for us, he hasn't anywhere else to go."  
  
"On the contrary," Spera said with her emotionless voice. "He has the option of returning to Starfleet to gain the rank of Lieutenant, or he could return to his family and get one of the many jobs that would be available to a pilot of his skill."  
  
Got to love Vulcan logic, Tom thought with a smirk.  
  
Enough eavesdropping, Tom decided. He knew what Nea had planned and he had no intention of helping her. Playing with her might be fun though.  
  
Smiling, he made his way to where the 'gang' was. He leaned on the doorjamb -- unnoticed by the thieves. He casually cleared his throat, causing every pair of eyes to turn in his direction.  
  
"Hello, gang. Discussing me, perhaps?"  
  
Nea smiled. "I thought you'd have gotten free of the ropes sooner."  
  
"Oh, I did," he admitted. "I was listening in for quite awhile. The Enterprise, Nea? whatever would you want with a Starfleet ship? You wouldn't betray the federation would you? Sell it to the Klingons or Romulans?"  
  
"Of course not," Nea said righteously.  
  
"Then what? The Maquis rebellion is over!"  
  
Nea jumped from her chair. "Not for us, it isn't!" she cried.  
  
Tom's eyes lit up with sudden understanding. "You still plan on fighting the Cardassians. But why, Nea? Since the Maquis broke up they stopped invading the DMZ."  
  
"They need to pay, Tom!"  
  
"I know you went through a lot, Nea, growing up on Bajor, but they've backed off. Why provoke them? It will only cause more meaningless deaths!"  
  
"His logic is impeccable, Captain," Spera said to Nea.  
  
"This isn't about logic," Nea said. "This is something that comes deeper than the depths of the mind. We will go through with things as planned. And you *will* help me," Nea vowed.  
  
"You aren't who I remember, Nea. I loved who you were but I despise who you've become. You're nothing but a washed up freedom fighter that's become so bitter they can't even see they don't have anymore reason to fight."  
  
"Arm yourselves and watch him," Nea ordered emotionlessly.  
  
Kladie, Jork, Cole and Spera all pulled out phasers.  
  
"He has free range but don't let him touch anything important." Nea pulled her eyes from Tom's and left the room.  
  
Tom smiled sheepishly at the four armed crewmen she had left him with. "So . . . you guys play poker?"  
  
Jork, Spera and Kladie stared at him blankly. Cole grinned and pulled a deck of cards from his pocket. Flipping the cards from one hand to the other in a blur of movement, he asked, "What are the stakes?"  
  
Tom's better instincts told him not to play poker with a con artist, but he wasn't exactly an innocent player himself. He always had an ace up his sleeve -- and he meant that both literally and figuratively.  
  
"I want information," Tom said. "I win -- you tell me everything I want to know."  
  
Cole nodded, "If I win -- you help us and fly the mission."  
  
This was dangerous ground. Tom had no intention of helping Nea but he did need that information.  
  
"Deal." He'd just better not lose. He'd hate to have to back out of his end of the deal if he were to lose to Cole. "I'll shuffle," Tom offered. He took the deck from Cole and began to deftly mix the cards. "Let's play best hand, I don't feel like wasting a lot of time with four."  
  
Cole nodded, "Sounds good."  
  
Tom dealt the hands after a rather impressive show of shuffling. The two played until Cole finally put down his hand.  
  
"Four Kings," he said smugly.  
  
"Mister Paris," Spera said turning to Tom. "Before you show your hand, I feel it is my duty to inform you that Cole was cheating.  
  
Tom didn't blink. "I know," he said, placing down his hand of four aces. "So was I. Now, about that information?"  
  
* * * *  
  
Janeway stopped pacing her living room and looked at her three officers. "What if I could get myself on the Enterprise?" she asked. "I could stay there and wait for Nea to make her move. I don't know what else we can do."  
  
"How would you do it?" Chakotay asked.  
  
"Picard owes me a favor," Janeway said. "Maybe it's time I collect."  
  
* * * *  
  
Cole's smile faded as he stared at the four aces and Spera raised an eyebrow. Jork stifled a laugh and Kladie was smiling.  
  
"What do you want to know?" Cole asked grudgingly.  
  
"Everything," Tom answered simply.  
  
* * * *  
  
Janeway walked across the bridge of the Enterprise, following Captain Jean- Luc Picard into his ready room. Picard sat at his desk and smiled at her. "Kathryn Janeway, to what do I owe the pleasure?"  
  
Janeway -- straight to the point as always -- didn't bother with pleasantries. "Have you heard of the Unwanted?"  
  
Picard instantly straightened. "Only rumors, why?"  
  
"I'm afraid they may be more than rumors. I believe the gang has abducted my crewman, Tom Paris."  
  
"Tom Paris," Picard repeated. He, like most people in Starfleet, had heard of the prodigy pilot. "What happened?"  
  
"Tom disappeared, leaving only his resignation from Starfleet behind. He was seen on Deep Space Nine with Nea Clent. Nea is the leader of the Unwanted and--"  
  
"And the Unwanted is plotting to steal the Enterprise, hence this visit. What is it you want me to do?"  
  
"I want you to allow me to stay on board in case the Unwanted makes a move," Janeway said.  
  
"Well, I owe you, how could I say no?"  
  
* * * *  
  
Tom collapsed on the bed in his quarters or more appropriately, his cell. He'd gotten a lot out of Cole. He'd gotten the details of the strike against the Enterprise.  
  
He had thought Nea was leading a suicide mission, but it was worse. It just might work. Her plan was virtually flawless. And he had no idea how to stop it.  
  
Nea was a fanatic. To blind with anger against the Cardassians to realize a strike against them won't do anyone any good. Nea was playing with fire. The Cardassians had only just begun to honor their treaty with the Federation, and things were tense. A resurrection of the Maquis would only serve to provoke them.  
  
None of these were even the most disturbing things he'd learned from Cole. The worst was that the Unwanted were taking the Enterprise tomorrow. And he'd be going with them.  
  
He fell back on the bed. He wanted to find himself a way out of this but the events of the last day were catching up to him and he felt his eyes close.  
  
* * * *  
  
B'Elanna looked up as Harry sighed for the third time. They both felt useless. Janeway was on the Enterprise, Chakotay was investigation Nea Clent and her gang and they were left with nothing to do but wait.  
  
The console in front of them beeped and both jumped up. B'Elanna quickly activated it and Chakotay appeared.  
  
"What have you found?" Harry asked immediately.  
  
Chakotay smiled, "The last known coordinates of the Unwanted. They are pretty close to the Enterprise."  
  
"What are the coordinates?" B'Elanna demanded.  
  
Chakotay frowned. "Why?"  
  
"I want to see where they are on the starmap. The coordinates?"  
  
Chakotay told her and she ended the communiqué. Turning to Harry, she smiled wolfishly. "Your parents own a small ship, don't they, Harry?"  
  
* * * *  
  
When Tom woke up he immediately knew something was wrong. He exited his quarters and rushed to the bridge. He couldn't believe his eyes when he got there.  
  
Bound and gagged in a corner were his two best friends. B'Elanna Torres and Harry Kim. Their eyes widened when they saw him and he stepped forward intending to set them free.  
  
Nea blocked his way. "Your friends dropped by, Tom. Shame about their ship, though."  
  
Tom clenched his fists. "Let them go."  
  
"Let them go?" she repeated, aiming a phaser at B'Elanna. "Why would I let them go when I finally have a way to control you? You'll fly my mission, Tom or I'll blow B'Elanna's pretty little head off and then the other's."  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"Try me," Nea challenged.  
  
"Alright, do it," Tom said and B'Elanna's eyes grew even wider.  
  
Nea's eyes didn't flicker from Tom's but her finger never pressed down on the trigger.  
  
"You won't kill them," Tom said assuredly. "For all you've done you are not a cold blooded murderer. So let them go."  
  
Nea lowered the phaser and glared at him. "You're right that I wouldn't kill in cold blood, but they come with us. Just in case I get a really good reason to take their lives."  
  
* * * *  
  
Janeway stood off to the side of the bridge. Picard and Riker were discussing some slight subspace fluxulation nearby -- she was getting restless. She knew that the Unwanted would be making it's move soon while the Enterprise was far from reinforcements, but would Tom even be with them? And if he was, would he be a hostage or an accomplice?  
  
What if they were as good as they were said to be? One inconsistency that everyone barely notices could be the only warning of attack.  
  
One inconsistency.  
  
The subspace fluxulation.  
  
"Picard!" Janeway shouted as she started towards him. She never reached him. The ship was rocked and the crew was thrown to the floor. Before they could climb to their feet, eight figures materialized in front of them.  
  
Janeway gasped when she realized not just one, but three of them were her own crewmen. All of them were being held at gunpoint.  
  
"Captain Picard," Nea said sweetly. "Don't try anything funny. The rest of the crew has been locked down in the cargo bays and all of your weapons have been transported off the ship. The Enterprise is under my control now."  
  
"You won't get away with this," Picard ground out.  
  
Janeway looked over Tom, B'Elanna and Harry for injuries, and was relieved to see that all of them were unharmed.  
  
"Take the helm, Tom."  
  
Tom crossed his arms. "I said I wouldn't help you."  
  
"You said you loved me," Nea reminded -- her black eyes probed into Tom's own and he resisted the urge to turn away.  
  
"I also said I hated you, what's your point?"  
  
"You will fly for me," Nea growled. "You're the only one who can get us safely through the Mryiad Asteroid field."  
  
"Mryiad?" Picard cried incredulously. "No one has ever gotten through it!"  
  
Nea smirked. Her cold gaze still locked with Tom's. "Tom has."  
  
"I--" Tom began, stopping when Nea placed her phaser against Picard's temple.  
  
"This time I'm not bluffing. I've wanted to kill the son of a bitch for years. Just give me a reason to, Tom."  
  
Tom inwardly gave a sigh of resignation and took the helm. "Your wish is my command," he muttered.  
  
Nea smiled triumphantly and lowered her phaser.  
  
Nea hadn't been lying when she'd said Tom had flown Myriad. He'd made his way through the tricky asteroid cluster on more than one occasion during his stint with the Maquis, but he'd never flown anything as big as the Enterprise, though and he wasn't sure if he could do it.  
  
Of course . . . he didn't say that . . .  
  
"I'll have you through in a jiffy, hold onto your hats."  
  
to be continued . . .  
  
One more part, it might take a little longer to get up than this one though. I have to rewrite the ending because the current ending was written with the intention of having a sequel. But I never wrote the sequel, and I'm not going to, so I have to make an ending that ties up all the loose ends.  
  
To The Next Generation fans . . . sorry if I wrote Picard out of character, I've never really watched the show and I'm trying to do my best with what I know. I thought it would be too confusing to create my own ship and a whole crew you would never have heard of, you've already got to try and keep all the members of Nea's crew straight. 


	3. Unrequited

The Unwanted by Layton Colt  
  
Author's Notes: I'm sorry this has taken so long for me to get up, but I've been really busy with school and haven't been keeping up. I hope you aren't disappointed with this part, it's the weakest of the three by far. There's one part I wrote with Picard and Barclay that is completely corny and stupid but I couldn't think of a good way to change it. I've also written a new ending, but to get it up quickly, it's kind of abrupt, like I said before, this story has a sequel, but it's incredibly stupid and I don't want to post it so I had to change the end.  
  
Part Three: Unrequited  
  
Nea picked herself off the blinking console and surveyed the smoky bridge. The last thing she remembered was Tom's shout of triumph as he got the Enterprise through Myriad and then Kladie's urgent hail from engineering. Kladie started going on about trouble with the warp core and blown EPS conduits.  
  
Then it had gone dark.  
  
As Nea took in the situation around her, she was pleased to see Spera and Cole already on their feet keeping the hostages in line. Jork was in the cargo bay now, she had enough confidence in her people to know he'd have the situation under control as well.  
  
Nea saw B'Elanna unconscious in Harry's arm but it didn't seem serious so she let her eyes sweep over the two without more than a cursory glance. She continued to survey the damage, stopping when her eyes reached the helm.  
  
Tom was gone -- at first she thought he was trying to sabatouge her, that he would be behind her holding a phaser to her head -- but then she saw his blood stained hand lying motionless from behind the console. Nea ran over to him, moving faster than she thought possible.  
  
She reached him and pulled him into her arms. He was bleeding heavily and badly burned on his hands and chest.  
  
Picard got to his feet, and grimaced when he saw the young pilot. He had flown the Enterprise flawlessly through Myriad, only to be badly injured by a malfunction.  
  
Concerned about Paris's condition, he stepped forward. Nea pulled out her phaser impossibly fast and aimed it at him. "Stay away from him!" she yelled.  
  
"Jesus," Picard heard Janeway murmur as she came to stand beside him.  
  
"He needs treatment, Nea, you need to transport him to sickbay and send for Beverly. You know her, you know she can help him. There are other's who have been injured to," Picard said motioning to B'Elanna.  
  
"No," Nea said shaking her head. "Tom stays with me!"  
  
Cole walked over slowly and knelt beside Nea. He was the only one she would ever consider allowing to come close to her. Cole knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He needs help, Nea. There's nothing you can do for him, he needs a doctor."  
  
Nea gave a barely perceptible nod and Spera headed to a console. Tom and B'Elanna flickered away. "I've transported the injured and Dr. Crusher to sickbay," she reported.  
  
Nea nodded and took a calming breath. She clutched her phaser tightly and got to her feet. "Alright, lets get organized, we have to do this . . . for Tom."  
  
"That is illogical," Spera said. "Tom Paris did not want you to go through with this course of action -- completing it in his name is nonsensical."  
  
"Logic doesn't apply to every situation! Why don't you all just get to work?!" Her two crewmen immediately did as told.  
  
Nea walked over to the transporter and the bridge crew dematerialized -- leaving only Picard and the officers from Voyager.  
  
"What have you done with my crew?" Picard demanded.  
  
"They've been sent to the cargo bay," Nea said without turning.  
  
Picard glared at her back and then walked over to Harry with Janeway.  
  
"How badly was B'Elanna injured?" Janeway asked Harry.  
  
"Not bad . . . I don't think, but Tom . . ."  
  
"I know," Janeway murmured.  
  
"He'll be alright," Picard assured. "Beverely can handle anything."  
  
Believing her old friend Janeway nodded her agreement. "Yes, he will be fine."  
  
* * * *  
  
Dr. Beverly Crusher looked around sickbay in confusion. One moment she had been in the cargo bay with the entire crew. A young bajoran man was telling them to stay calm when she had been transported here.  
  
As she looked around her eyes fell on a two unconscious people on the floor. One was not very severely injured, the other was in much worse condition and she recognized him -- Tom Paris.  
  
Despite the fact that she didn't know where he came from and that he may very well be one of the people who had taken over the Enterprise, she wouldn't allow anyone to die in her sickbay.  
  
She transported them both onto biobeds and got to work. It was almost an hour before she finished with Tom and could start on B'Elanna. She healed the young woman quickly and then collapsed exhausted into a chair.  
  
"Picard to Crusher."  
  
"Captain! What's going on?"  
  
Picard looked at the phaser pointed at his chest. "Everything is under control. What's the condition of Tom Paris?"  
  
"He'll be sore a couple of days but he'll recover. The woman is fine too."  
  
"Good. I want you to stay in sickbay until further notice," Picard told her, never turning his eyes from Nea's.  
  
"Understood. Crusher out."  
  
Nea smiled at Picard. "You should be glad he survived or I might have just killed you."  
  
"I'm glad he survived as well, because he's a good man and should have been involved in this in the first place," Picard sneered.  
  
"Tom got himself in involved in this," Nea said angrily.  
  
"I'm sure," Picard responded -- sounding less than convinced.  
  
"He did! And he would want me to finish my mission."  
  
"What mission, Nea? Why are you doing this?"  
  
"No questions, Picard. I'm in charge now."  
  
"You're slipping, Nea, you're losing control," Picard said calmly.  
  
"I-am-not-losing-control!" Nea knew that was a lie. The bridge seemed to be spinning around her as things began to spiral. She slammed her fist down on a console, breaking the glass and bringing her hand away covered with blood. "Cole! Transport Picard, Janeway and that Ensign the hell off *my* bridge. Send them to one of the cargo bays."  
  
Cole nodded and headed to a console.  
  
"Nea," Picard started. "Don't do this--" He was cut off as he dematerialized and Nea smiled in satisfaction.  
  
"Okay," she said to Cole and Spera. "Now we can start to get things done."  
  
* * * *  
  
Chakotay sighed in frustration. Starfleet had lost contact with the Enterprise over an hour ago. They had headed into the Mryiad asteroid cluster and are now presumed dead.  
  
Chakotay knew better. Nea wouldn't have traveled into Mryiad without Tom at the helm and Tom would have gotten them through. The question was, why would Nea want to take the Enterprise through the asteroids and into Cardassian space?  
  
According to the treaty Starfleet couldn't go in after them and the Cardasians could fire on them. That left the Enterprise without any backup when they were already compromised.  
  
Well, if Starfleet wouldn't do something -- he would. He just had to figure out, exactly what he would do. His console beeped and he activated it. Neelix appeared on his screen, jovial as ever.  
  
"Commander! Have you found Tom yet?"  
  
Chakotay smiled mischievously, "Do you still have that Talaxian ship, Neelix?" he asked, ignoring Neelix's question.  
  
"Why, yes, Commander. Why?"  
  
* * * *  
  
"We need to do something," Picard said, addressing Janeway, Harry and most of his senor staff.  
  
Barclay, Worf, Riker, Troi and Data were all present.  
  
"What we need to do is get to sickbay," Janeway said firmly.  
  
Worf nodded, "Perhaps if one of you were to injure me."  
  
Riker shook his head frustrated, "I think one of the Captains would like to be the one to go to sickbay."  
  
Picard nodded. "Yes. I need one of you to hit me."  
  
"I will hit you, sir," Data volunteered flatly.  
  
Picard gave Data a cursory glance before turning to Reginald. "Why don't you do it, Barclay?" he suggested.  
  
"Mah, me, sir? I-I don't--" Barclay stuttered.  
  
Deanna placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "You can do it, Reg," she said encouragingly. "He gave you permission."  
  
Reg nodded uncertainly, "All-alright . . ." Swinging back his arm, he sent Picard to the floor with one swift punch.  
  
Picard brought his hand to his aching jaw and stared at Barclay in amazement. "Where did you learn to punch like that?"  
  
Worf fought against a threatening smile. "I have instructed Barclay in self defense on many occasions."  
  
"What's going on here?" the young bajoran guarding them demanded as he stalked over.  
  
"Captain Picard has been injured," Troi said. "You need to take him to sickbay."  
  
Jork turned to the Captain and eyed the forming bruise with a frown. "That doesn't look so serious, but I guess it wouldn't hurt, come on," he said to Picard before leading the way from the cargo bay.  
  
* * * *  
  
B'Elanna looked around disorientated. She was in a sickbay, but not Voyager's. She gasped when what had happened came back to her and she remembered that she was on the Enterprise.  
  
"How are you?" asked a soft voice.  
  
B'Elanna looked up to see a redheaded human watching her with concern.  
  
"Who are you?" B'Elanna demanded as she sat up.  
  
"I'm Dr. Beverly Crusher, and you are?"  
  
B'Elanna was about to answer, when she saw Tom on the next bed. "Tom," she gasped. She saw that he was struggling to sit up. Both of the women ran to his side and Beverly ran a tricorder over him.  
  
"I'm so glad you're alright," B'Elanna breathed. "Tom, I've been so worried. We really have to talk . . ."  
  
"Not now," Tom said abruptly, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. B'Elanna reached out and steadied him as he shakily got to his feet.  
  
"Mr. Paris," Dr. Crusher said authoritivly as she glared at him. "Lay back down this instant. You're in no condition to go anywhere."  
  
"You're Beverly Crusher right?" at her nod, he continued, "okay, then listen carefully, Doc, this ship has been taked over by Maquis rebels and we are currently in Cardassian space. I'm sorry, but I can't afford to lay down."  
  
Beverly stared at him. "The Maquis rebellion is over."  
  
Hoisting an emergency phaser rifle over his shoulder he turned to look at her. "Not for them, it's not." Tom went to the sickbay doors -- which were, predictably, locked.  
  
B'Elanna watched as Tom tried to gain access to the computers systems. "It's no use," she said. "Nea would have locked out all of the consoles, and we both know she doesn't make mistakes."  
  
"Everyone makes mistakes," he countered. "Nea said she beamed all of the weapons into space, but she forgot to scan sickbay. That's one mistake, now we just need for her to make another."  
  
Hearing voices he stumbled back to his bed and hid the phaser behind a medical cart. "Lay down," he hissed to B'Elanna. They both pretended to be asleep as the doors opened.  
  
"Captain!" Crusher cried as Picard was practically tossed into the sickbay. Jork quickly locked the doors to sickbay once more, and ran back to the cargo bay.  
  
"What happened?" she asked him, noting the slight bruising on his jaw.  
  
"Never mind that, how are . . ." he trailed off as he saw Tom and B'Elanna.  
  
Once Tom had realized Picard was the only one entering he had jumped from the bed once again and slung the phaser back over his shoulder. He had wasted no time getting back to work on the console, and B'Elanna was working right beside him.  
  
"Well," Picard said bemusedly. "I see they're both fine."  
  
"Oh, he's anything but fine," Beverly said, "but he refuses to rest."  
  
"How long will he hold up?" Picard asked.  
  
Beverly shrugged. "Depends, but when this is all over and he slows down, he's going to crash."  
  
Picard nodded and walked over to the two younger officers. "How's it coming?" he asked.  
  
"It's not," B'Elanna ground out. "It's impossible."  
  
Just as she spoke, Tom looked up with a smile. The sickbay doors slide open moments later. Paris didn't waste any time with 'I told you's he turned quickly to Picard. "Picard and I will go to the bridge," he said. "B'Elanna, when I give you power back I want you to transport Nea and her gang to the brig and unlock the cargobays."  
  
Picard followed Tom from sickbay and briefly wondered when he'd lost command of his ship. When Janeway boarded, when Nea boarded, or just now.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Commander," Neelix said from the helm of his ship. "Doesn't the treaty forbid us from entering Cardassian space?"  
  
Chakotay was helping Kes -- who had insisted on coming -- organize the medical supplies when he answered. "Yes, but Nea has taken the Enterprise into their space already so we're just following their lead."  
  
Neelix nodded. "Right."  
  
"Don't worry, Neelix," Kes called. "Everything will work out."  
  
* * * *  
  
Tom and Picard boarded the turbolift and Tom called for the bridge. As soon as the doors closed, Tom got down on one knee and faced the door. He tinkered with the settings on the phaser and the aimed it at the closed doors.  
  
"What are you doing?" Picard asked.  
  
"I've got the phaser set to wide beam stun. No point in giving them time to retaliate."  
  
The doors opened to the bridge and the three hijackers fell unconscious to the floor before they had time to react.  
  
"Impressive," Picard commented.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
* * * *  
  
Nea blearily looked around. She could see Spera and Cole out cold beside her and Tom and Picard at the engineering console trying to break her codes. Quietly, she stood and gained access to the console beside her.  
  
After less than a minute Nea disappeared, along with Spera and Cole.  
  
* * * *  
  
Tom heard the tell-tale whine of the transporter and spun around just in time to see the last molecules of Nea and her friends dematerialize. He let out a curse and the Red Klaxons began to blare.  
  
The computer seemed almost mocking as it announced, "Self destruct in sixty seconds."  
  
"Nea," Picard ground out as Tom turned back to the console.  
  
"She's trying to launch her shuttle," Tom reported.  
  
"Stop her," Picard ordered.  
  
"Should I stop her or should I override the self destruct," he asked calmly as the countdown reached forty seconds. Picard didn't have to answer, and Tom had already gotten to work on overriding the self destruct.  
  
Nea's ship had flown out of the shuttlebay and began to travel off by the time Tom had aborted the self destruct.  
  
"Contact Crusher, have her tell B'Elanna to unlock the cargobay doors," Tom said tiredly.  
  
Picard nodded and did so. Tom collapsed down into the helm chair. He hurt all over and decided to rest for just a moment.  
  
* * * *  
  
As the Unwanted raced away from the Enterprise, Nea prayed Tom would be able to deactivate the self destruct like she knew he could. She didn't want anything to happen to him, but she had needed to keep him distracted.  
  
"Captain," Jork called. "I'm picking up a ship on sensors."  
  
"Cardassian?"  
  
Jork shook his head. "No, it's a design I've never seen before. They're hailing."  
  
"Answer them," Nea ordered. She gasped when Chakotay appeared on the viewscreen. "Chakotay!"  
  
"Power down your engines, Nea."  
  
She smiled. "What will you do if I don't?"  
  
In answer to her question she was thrown to the floor as the Unwanted was rocked.  
  
"Why, I'll fire on you, Nea."  
  
Nea carefully stood. "Return fire," she growled.  
  
* * * *  
  
"I've set a pursuit course," Picard told Tom as the bridge crew began to file in.  
  
"Tom!" B'Elanna called, running towards him. She was quickly followed by Harry and Janeway.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked. He was sitting on the floor of the bridge and looked very pale.  
  
Tom nodded faintly. "I'm fine."  
  
None of his friends seemed convinced. But before they could argue, Picard's voice carried through the bridge. "We've got trouble. Nea's ship is exchanging fire with an unknown vessel."  
  
"It's Neelix's ship!" Tom exclaimed.  
  
Picard nodded and turned to Data. "Hail Nea."  
  
Data nodded and Nea appeared on the front screen.  
  
"You can't fight off two ships, Nea. Why don't you surrender?"  
  
Nea smiled in a way that clearly said 'I certainly can fight off two ships.' "I will not surrender. I have a way out, as always." She turned to Tom and her whole expression softened. "Come with me, Tom."  
  
Tom didn't speak at first, and for one terrifying moment B'Elanna thought he might actually be considering it.  
  
"I think I'd be safer with Manificent." he finally responded.  
  
Nea gave him a rueful smile. "The adieu, my love."  
  
* * * *  
  
"Activate the Romulan cloaking device," Nea ordered.  
  
"Aye," Kladie responded.  
  
Cole walked up to Nea and stood beside her. "What will we do now?"  
  
"Now? Now -- we disappear."  
  
* * * *  
  
Tom smiled slightly as Nea's ship disappeared from sensors. "Good luck," he whispered.  
  
B'Elanna was watching him concerned. He turned around to face her and offered a hesitant smile. He'd hurt her, he could see that now.  
  
"How are you?" she asked briskly.  
  
"Fine," Tom said. "I'm fine."  
  
"Do you have any idea what you've put me through?" B'Elanna hissed. All of the frustration she'd been feeling channeled into her words. "My god, Tom, for all I knew you were dead."  
  
"I'm sorry, I--"  
  
"Don't you make excuses for this, Tom Paris. You had no *right.* No right! Do you know how worried we were?"  
  
"I just--"  
  
"You're a part of us now, Tom. For now and always. If you're hurting we hurt. Don't you understand that?"  
  
Tom smiled, fascinated that he had won this beautiful woman's concern. "I think I'm beginning to."  
  
B'Elanna smiled as well, despite that she wanted to hang on to her anger. "You'll be coming back, won't you?" she asked.  
  
Tom turned slightly and saw Harry and Janeway watching him anxiously. They really did care about him. He was part of them now, he realized. He wasn't so much of an outcast, after all.  
  
"Go back to Voyager?" Tom asked. "Of course, it is home, after all."  
  
The End. 


End file.
